A day in NYC with Zoo York

We just visited New York and met with guys from Zoo York. Kevin Tierney and Dave Willis from Zoo´s am-team showed some spots on Manhattan – so check out what skateboarding in the Big Apple is about!

Photo: Julius Jansson

Above: Kevin Tierney - boardslide up a handrail, Tribeca Skatepark

22-years old Kevin Tierney became Zoo Yorks am this summer. Kevin lives in Queens, but skates around Manhattan every day.

The photo is Kevin doing a boardslide up a rail in Tribeca skatepark. The park is located in the south of Manhattan, right by the Hudson river. The highest tower (on the right) is the new WTC 1 that is being built. This September it also became 10 years since 9/11 terror attack. According to local skaters the horrible event had its effect on skateboarding also – even today skateboarding on Manhattan can be hard due to ubiquitous security. Local skate website Quartersnacks.com recently published an article about 9/11 effects on NYC skate scene, with references from 2002 TWS issue, that reflects local skaters´ thoughts more precisely.

Dave Willis joined the Zoo York team this summer with his friend Kevin Tierney. Dave lives in Harlem and also skates the city every day. As Manhattan is a huge area, a bicycle is often best way to get around from spot to spot. Despite heavy traffic it is relatively easy to ride a board or bike among the cars, because drivers seem surprisingly aware of other road users.

Photo: Julius Jansson

Above: Kevin Tierney, ollie on 1st Avenue

Kevin Tierney ollies a thrash can on 1st Avenue, right around the corner of the UN headquarters. The neighbourhood offers quite a few spots ranging from staris to handrails, but area being full of UN and federal buildings, skaters are not tolerated for long. Though this more quieter streetcorner offered some peace for taking this photo.

Dave Willis kickflips and does a boardslide on a bench in a place called Pier 11. It is a ferry terminal (also a heliport is nearby) on the East River, close to financial district and Wall Street. Close by is also a now-gone-forever-spot, Brooklyn Banks, which was located right under Brooklyn Bridge.

Autumn is a skate shop in East Village. The neighbourhood is known as home to many artists and where subcultures thrive. Close to the Autumn shop is a place called Foley square Park, where local skaters meet and skate flatground before hitting downtown spots.

Supreme is probably the most famous skate shop in New York. After opening in 1994 the shop became quickly important part of New York´s skate scene. Later the shop expanded, started it´s own clothing brand and opened several new stores in other cities.

If you have seen skateboarding from NYC, you have probably seen Tompkins Square. Next to the squae you will find the famous courthouse, where stands the famous ledge which you approach from the building´s stairs.

This time we were there in the middle of the day, so skating courthouse was out of question. Instead Kevin charged the big marble ledges on the Foley Square itself with a nosebluntslide.

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See the photo collection